It is not often that I feature any photography, or other art and craft making tools. However, as we’re asked so often about cameras, I thought this could be an exception.
Here is a top 10 from sourced from some of the world’s most successful online retailer, Amazon. You will find that Canon is very well represented here. As an owner of not one but two Canons, I know why: I love both cameras.
I bought my first camera in Akihabara, Tokyo’s electrical district. It was a Canon AE1. With initially no knowledge other than ‘here’s the button to press’, I have made the most amazingly successful photos with it, right from the beginning. My absolute love for this camera, let me to buy a digital Canon a decade later.
One aspect I love so much about the Canon camera are the lenses and the overall making of the camera. This is why, even as a complete novice, my photos made with my Canon have always been impressive. Of course, professional photographers, who actually understand all the features on the cameras can realize their photo visions even more.
Bestselling Photo Camera 2008
Just click on the images, to learn more about each camera.
When you paint a portrait the key to success is to capture everything that the eyes show and tell.
The best portrait painters will excel at skin and hair. They will be masters of drawing skull structure and muscle tone. And, as with Leonardo Da’ Vinci’s Mona Lisa there will be the enigmatic smile you could capture with your artwork.
But, as an artist, you will fail unless you understand the essence of personality that shines through your portrait subject’s eyes.
Take a long deep look into the eyes of any human being and you will see…
The roundness of the eye
The white that sets off the iris color
The deep black of the pupil
But that is just the obvious stuff. As a portrait painter, what else do you see?
The way outside light reflects to give highlight?
The way veins can give a tired, bloodshot look?
The way the pupils grow large and small as they focus?
This is only superficial technicality. Art needs more. Now, consider what a friend or lover can see… You will see far more…
You will see character and determination
You will see emotion and feeling
You will see warmth and affection
You will see hurt and pain
There is a great deal more you need to see, as an artist, when you draw the eye…
Look for the roundness of the eyeball
Look for the shape of the eye lens cone
Look for the color of the iris
Look for the way the light reflects differently from the lens
Look for the highlights and see the depths
Most of all, try to let your painting show emotion…
“Make your painting smile with the eyes”
Remember, when you paint a portrait, you know that your sitter is real and will give you everything you need… shyness, pleasure, anger and pain. Only when you learn to paint mood, character, personality and feeling and catch the glint in their eyes can you call yourself a portrait artist…
“This is how a great artist’s portrait painting comes alive as the eyes follow you across the room”
By Michael Dale
Michael Dale is the author of 1- Color Is Best (the quick and easy way to learn to paint watercolor) and 3- Colors Are All You Need (mix any color you want fast using only 3 colors). Contact http://www.Paint-And-Draw.com to find out more.
You know how some movies have a ’special look’, golden brown, sick yellow-greenish, cool blue etc.? You can get the same effect in your photos if you want. The simple way is to go to ‘Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation’, click ‘Colourize’ and use the slide bars to select your preferred grading. If you are going for a well-defined colour, it’s better to use the ‘Edit > Fill’ function. Simply select the colour you want and set the ‘Blending mode’ to ‘Colour’. Either way, it’s good first to duplicate your layer before you start. This will allow you to preserve some of the original colours by turning the colour grading down. Use the ‘Opacity’ slider in the layer box to do this. If you want a duotone image, simply make 2 duplicate layers and give them different colour gradings. Mix them together, again with the ‘Opacity’ slider and the different ‘Layer blending mode’ options in the layer box.
One example: To give your image a warm golden-brown colour tone, first make two duplicate layers. Use ‘Edit > Fill’ to make the first one brown (#963A12) and the second one yellow (#EDC715). Set opacities to 30 and 60% respectively and select the ‘Multiply’ blending mode for the top (yellow) layer. Tweak it in place to get it exactly like you want. Also try adding a soft glow, as described above.
Micro contrast
This is a really neat trick to enhance your contrast and draw out texture details in your photos. You can even use it when your overall contrast is already maxed out, using all tonal ranges from pure black to pure white. The procedure is similar to the normal ‘Unsharpen Mask’, but with some special settings. Go to ‘Filter > Sharpen > Unsharpen Mask’ and set the ‘Amount’ to around 20-30%, the ‘Radius’ to 50-100 pixels and zero on the ‘Threshold’. You will get a subtle contrast enhancement that, for some pictures at least, works really well.
Using any of the above mentioned effects can improve your photos and make them really eye-catching. However, learning when to use them and when not to use them is just as important as learning how to use them. When to use special effects in your photos is a matter of personal taste and judgment. Use it, but don’t overdo it. Often, less is more.
By Morten Svenningsen
The author, Morten Svenningsen, is a professional freelance photographer in Nepal. He is offering a free tutorial and an eBook on photography from his web site, msmediaservice.com, along with fine art prints and more.
